Mixing valve



Feb. 23, 1965 A. MANooGlAN 3,170,488

MIXING VALVE Filed Sept. 30, 1963 v 2 Sheets-Sheva*l 2 (54 v ;g. E.

United States Patent O 3,170,488 MIXING VALVE Alex Manoogian, Detroit, Mich., assignor, vby mesne Y assignments, to Masco Corporation, Detroit,` Mich., a

corporation of Michigan Filed Sept. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 312,744 7 Claims. (Cl. 137-625.17)

This invention relates to mixing valves for regulating the mix of hot and cold water and the discharge, thereof, and has particular reference to a single handle mixing valve wherein the handle is rotatable to vary the mix and `movable in and out to modulate the ow.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a novel, simple, easy to operate, compactyand dependable single handle mxing valve of the push-pull type which can be jeiciently produced at a more favorable cost than mixing valves of this type which are now commercially available.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and may ,be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, of which there are two sheets, which by way of illustration show a preferred embodiment of the invention and what I now consider to be the best mode of applying the principles thereof. Other embodiments of the invention may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.

`In the drawings: Y

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a shower model of a mixing valve embodying the invention, shown in its closed oroff position; e v

-FIG'. 2=is an explodedview ofl the valve sleeve and the valve member apart from the valve body;v 7

A e'FIG. 3, 4 and 5'are sectionalrviews taken Valong the lines 3`-3, 4-4, and respectively'of FIG. 1; and FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional vew similar to FIG.

but showing the valve in- 'an open position. 1

thus comprises four major parts'zfthe body .10 which may v e a brass casting, the sleeve 18 4which may be brass withv a finished surface .such as Acihrome plating, thevalve stem or member Ztly which may be `brasswith a linished surface -such as chrome plating, Land the handle 24 whichmay be plastic.

v As shownv more clearly indilG.` A4, the -body on housing.

. v 10 is provided with .opposily .disposedinlets 26 and 23 for the hot andcoldwaiter, the inlets opening'into the Ybore Y f 12 at their inner ends and communicating at theirgouter 'ends` 'with threaded socketsStlfarld 32 whereby` the valve maybe connected in fiuid flow relation with hot and cold water pipes. The outside of th'e'sleeve 18 has a close tit in the bore 12, the surface of which is smooth, and the sleeve18 is provided with -oppositely disposed inlet ports 34 and 36 in uid liow relation with the inlets 26 and 28.

A laterally projecting pin 38 carried by the sleeve 18 is held in place by a screw 42 whereby thefsleeve 18 is lixedly secured in the bore 12. The sleeve 18 is further provided with an outlet port 46 which at its outer end communicates with an inner annular groove 48 `in the body 10. The axial spacingof -the inletports 34, 36 and the outlet'port 46 is not great, whereby the required axial movement of the stem 20 `to open and close the valve and modulate the iiowis-small. The .groove 48 is in open' vcommunication ice with ports Sti and 52 in the body 1t) which communicate with threaded sockets 54 and 56 whereby the discharge side of the valve may be connected to the pipes leading to a tub and to a shower spray.

It is conventional to mount a mixing valve above the tub spout and below the shower spray, and thus when the shut-off valve (not shown) associated .with the tub spout is open, water will flow into the tub, Whereas when such last-mentioned valve is closed, the water will `flow out through the shower spray. However, the specic manner in which the mixing valve of my invention is hooked up with a water. system forms no part of my invention, and I contemplate that instead of two outlet ports and 52,

'only one of such outlet ports might be employed where a single discharge will suffice.

The outer surface of the sleeve 18 is relieved to provide a series of annular sealing grooves 58, and 62, each of which accommodates an annular sealing ring, such as an O-ring. yAs shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each of the O-rings 64, 66 and 68 disposed in such grooves provides an effective seal between the outer vsurface of the sleeve 18 and the bore 12 of the body 10. It will be observed that the O-rings 66 and 68 straddle the outlet ports 50 and52 while the O-rings 64 and 66 straddle the inlet ports 34 and 36. The Ov-rings 64 and 66 preferably are formed integrally with opposed, connecting links 69, the links 69 being disposed in grooves 71 which extend axially'between the grooves 6@ and 62. The links 69j form an axially eX- tending seal between the sealing rings 64 and 66 so as to prevent cross flow between the hot and cold Water inlets through any clearance-that may exist between the outside of the sleeve 18 and the inside of the bore 12.

The sleeve 18 is also provided with internal annular groove 70, '78 and Sti which accommodatek O-,ring seals 74, 32 and 84. The O-ring' seals 74, 82 and 84 have sealing engagement with the sleeve 18 and with the outer Sur# face lof the valve member 20 which is rotatable' and axially movable in the bore 22 of the sleeve,the member y2li having a close sliding t therein. Preferably during assembly the outside of the valve member Ztl is coated with a water insoluble greaseso as to reduce the friction between the valve member Ztl and Vthe bore 22 of the sleeve '18. j y l l The @rings 82 and 84 are so spaced that in therclosed position of the valve as shown in FIG. l, such O-rings vstra'ddle the inlet ports 34 andY 36 of the sleeve soas to vided withra series of longitudinallyeXtendingcut-out portions 88 which in the closedposition Vof the valve are out of communication with either oftheV inlet l ports' 34 or 36, but in communication with the outlet; pogt 46 as shown in FIG.- l throughtheannular` groove r47 yinternally provided in the sleeve 18. In the closed position of the'valve member 20 the inner end Sti, thereof `is bot-1 v 'tomed in or closely adjacentthe bottom ofthe. closed end 14 of thebore 10.' Movement ofthvalve'member 20 from the position shown' in FIG. lto that shown in FIG. 6 will bring the, cut-out portions 88 into communication with the inlet ports 34 and 36.' However,

n through the inletvportsp34 and'ouandlther cut-out pory I the cut-out portions 88 will always be inl fluid flow Yof the inlet ports 34 and 36 to thesame or different eX- tent s oas to control theratio of the mix which ows tions 8S into thefannular .movement of the stem 20. vnecessary'to use high friction sealing means to prevent Almixing'valve comprising a bodylhaving abore 1 "closed-fat one end and-open at lthe'other-and inletseom- 'munic'ating with saidbore, a sleeve lining saidborefand handle 24 tovary the mix from 100% hotte 100% vcold Without modulating ythe flow, and by axial 'movement of the `valve member 20 to modulate the ow without changing the mixture ratio, or by combined axial and rotationalV movement to modulate thelow while varying ,the mixture ratio.

groove and through thek discharge outlet 46. Thus it is possible by rotating the,

ing 'means between the outside of sa'dsleeve andsaid bore forming aseal therebetweenand betweenwhichy said inlet ports are disposed, the interior of Vsaid `sleeve forming a valve bore of` uniform section throughout its length, a movable cylindrical valvermembrer having a sliding fit'in said` sleeve bore ,and projectingY from one end thereof, saidsleeve lhaving an outlet port,Y said body having angoutletport'in tluidow relation withrsaid It will be evident that as the valve member 20 moves i from the position illustrated in FIG. 6 to that of FIG. l, they area of theVcut-out portions 8S exposedto the inlet ports 34 and 36 will be gradually reduced, thereby reducingthe volume of flow from Wideopenposition to zero flow, as shown inFlG. l; Y

The transverse surfaces 89 of the stem which form the ends of the cut-out portions 83am of vequal effective area Yand loppositely disposed, whereby the axial pressure on .the valve member 20 Yexertedby the fluid in the cut-'out portionsl 88 isV neutralized,V thereby balancing the valve;l

.that is,VY the .mixing .valve is s designed Ithat `the Ywater 'pressure exerts no force onvthe stem 0r valve member 20 tending to move it froma set position or to resist Because of this, itis not the valvemember 20 from shifting under thel inuence of water pressure, and the resistance. .to `manual movement of the valve member 20can be relativelyflow. Thisis` important because itcontributesrto thelife of the sealing means.

f The valve member 20is provided withman atmospheric ventpassag'e 92 which Vextends from theinner end 90v of the valvestem to the` other end Vof thestemY upon which the handle Z4 is mounted. Aduct 9dextends between thev passage 92 and the outside'. of the stem 20 exteriorlyV of the sleeve 1S :so VVthat the well 98at the innerA end' of the bore 12 `is vented to atmosphere. It willbe observed vthat all of the I. seals are Ycarried by the valvev tion, said l.series includingV spaced annular; seals between said sleeve bore and said valve member.andypositi0ned-V so as torstraddle the inlet ports insaid sleeve in the closed position'of said valve member, therelieved portion of said valve member'providing equal and oppositelyrdisposed transverse surfaces exposed to the uid pressureof theV liquid flowing throughzthe Yvalve when openjso asto neutralize' thek axialthrust exerted on thevalve member by such iluid pressure, said valve member in its closed rposition being Vin communication with yonly said .outlet port-in said. sleeve.` A v 2. `A mixing valve according to claim lV wherein said relieved portion of said valve memberl comprises a series of.r intercommunicating relativelyY narrow axially extendsleeve 13` which is removable from the'bodylil'upon removall of the screw 42. Y

Y k Except for theA cut-out portions k88 yand the stern is` of uniform cross section and may be made of a roundl piece of bar stock. i The .sleeve legis also of uniform `cross section except-for the ports and grooves, and may be madelfrom a piece of tubing. f The over-all diameters ofthe sleeve 1% Yand-.valve member '20', may befrelatively small. The-relatively long sleeve l8`and=valve memberA 20, `provide substantial, area for slidablyr .supporting the vmember 20 and-minimize, the Aeffect of side thrust .to'which thestem may be subjectedin use. i'

This application is a continuation-impart of myprior 1962n0w abandoned, for Mixing Valve.

Y -While I'have illustrated and `described Aa preferred'emebordiment of my'invention, `it is understood vthat, this -is Y. capable -ofmodificationfand I therefore ydo not wish to (be-limitedto'theprecise detailsisetfforth but desire to j: avail, myself 0f such. changes and alterations aslfall'within the purviewlof the following` claims.Y Y

projectingfrom the open end thereofand-provided -with 'copending application Serial'No. 2l2,352filed July 25,`

inlet ports iii-fluid flow relation f with said inlets, 'gseal-j ing slots.'` f Y l 73. Anrixing valve according Vt0 claim lwhereinsaid'Y l `sealing meansbetween said sleeveand saidvalve mern- `ber are carried Vbysaid sleeve .in grooves on the interior surface p thereof.

4.- Afmixingvalveaccordinglto claim 1 whereinV Y sleeve is provided with an .internal annular `groove whichcornrnunicatesj'with thefroutlet port in said sleeveand ,withY said recessed portionof saidv valve member in 'all 1 i `positions of thelatteny 5,1;A. mixing M valve-according to *claim*I 1Vr includingy a pin carried by. said sle'evewhich formspart .otra locking means-*for securing saidjrsleeve'i'n said body bore,V the` l inner end of; said'pin ,c0operatingz.with aationsaid y valve member to limit the rotational and' axial-movement Y thereof relative-,tof said,` sleeve k n 6.l A mixing ,valve according to claim 11 Y.wherein said valve member includes aiductwhichpro'vides an atmospheric vent forl the closed end.. of' the bore'i in; said body.

body borerincludesV a shoulder spaced `from theclo-sed y l' end VVof saidfboreonwhich saidjsleevelis seatedv and wherein Ysaid valve member projects ,beyondk thejend of.

,said` sleeve. into the closed .end orffsaid bore. v Y Referer;cesv Citedintheifileot this patent A: "UNITEDSTATES 

1. A MIXING VALVE COMPRISING A BODY HAVING A BORE CLOSED AT ONE END AND OPEN AT THE OTHER AND INLETS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID BORE, A SLEEVE LINING SAID BORE AND PROJECTING FROM THE OPEN END THEREOF AND PROVIDED WITH INLET PORTS IN FLUID FLOW RELATION WITH SAID INLETS, SEALING MEANS BETWEEN THE OUTSIDE OF SAID SLEEVE AND SAID BORE FORMING A SEAL THEREBETWEEN AND BETWEEN WHICH SAID INLET ORTS ARE DISPOSED, THE INTERIOR OF SAID SLEEVE FORMING A VALVE BORE OF UNIFORM SECTION THROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH, A MOVABLE CYLINDER VALVE MEMBER HAVING A SLIDING FIT IN SAID SLEEVE BORE AND PROJECTING FROM ONE END THEREOF, SAID SLEEVE HAVING AN OUTLET PORT, SAID BODY HAVING AN OUTLET PORT IN FLUID FLOW RELATION WITH SAID SLEEVE OUTLET PORT, SAID VALVE MEMBER BEING RELIEVED ALONG A PORTION OF ITS LENGTH TO FORM A MIXING PASSAGE ALONG ONE SIDE THEREOF ADAPTED TO BE SELECTIVELY POSITIONED BY AXIAL AND ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT SO AS TO PROVIDE A FLUID FLOW PASSAGE BETWEEN EITHER OR BOTH OF SAID INLET PORTS IN SAID SLEEVE AND SAID OUTLET PORT THEREOF 